


It's all fun and games

by SillyNonnyFicsAreForFandoms



Series: Sequor Suspirium [1]
Category: Actually Stephen, DanPlan, actuallyoddplan
Genre: Alpha Jay Ko, Alpha Stephen Ng, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Ask to tag please, Beta Daniel Lim, Brainfog, Everything ends happily, Everything is happy AU okay just let me imagine, Fevers, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Light Swearing, M/M, Non romantic ending sort of, Omega Gavin Ng (Mentioned), Omega Hosuh Lee, Panicking, Sickness, Vomiting, cold baths, no beta we die like men, pranks gone wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22353436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SillyNonnyFicsAreForFandoms/pseuds/SillyNonnyFicsAreForFandoms
Summary: Daniel knew that pranking Hosuh wasn't a good thing. And, yes, from time to time he did have a bad habit of not reading the warning labels on things. It's all fun and games until somebody gets hurt, in his mind. But then, Hosuh got sick because of his idiocy.
Relationships: Hosuh Lee/Stephen Ng
Series: Sequor Suspirium [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637188
Comments: 48
Kudos: 211





	1. When pranks go bad

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AnnStallion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnStallion/gifts).



> Please just let me imagine things are okay this is a fanfic about the characters they portray on their youtube, so shhh-  
> Anyway, this fic is a gift for my friend, Becka! I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me and I know you love Stosuh and Omegaverse so this one is for you!!

Hosuh had a long fucking day. University usually didn’t sap away his energy like no tomorrow, but today had been in rare form. First, he had classes all day, from eight in the morning until six in the evening. That alone was exhausting. Second, he was stuck sitting in between two Alphas for his first class of the day, since the other two omegas which shared that class were absent. He understood that it was nearing heat season, but he could barely pay attention to the teacher with the two alphas who had been far too close to him all day. 

Third, he knew his own heat was coming up, and he really didn’t want to deal with it. He considered himself lucky, so incredibly lucky that he was an omega who had two types of heats. If his body wasn’t under too much stress, he would go into what most people called the classic heat. But if he was stressed out in such a way that he was now, then his heat would manifest as an extreme need for physical contact, for the closeness of another human being. Any human being. His housemates, Dan and Stephen, seemed to understand that. But, it was also their right to turn that contact away, so they made an arrangement. Hosuh could use their scents in his nest for comfort. They knew that he sometimes needed the scents of people he cared about for comfort on days like that and if he would occasionally go up to them, tug on their sleeve, and mumble something along the lines of asking to borrow their jacket or hoodie. 

So when he walked into the house, knowing Dan was the only one home, he expected nothing to be out of place in his room. His room was his safe space, with his nest carefully set up on his bed and soft blankets. He wanted nothing more than to lay down, curl up in his nest and just destress from the long day. Maybe call Ann, the only other omega he knew really well, and just talk as he worked.

“Hey Hos,” Dan greeted him when he entered the house, the beta’s refreshing scent of soft linens putting Hosuh at ease as he set down his bag.

“Hey. I’m gonna be in my room, okay?” Hosuh sighed, stretching out as he slipped off his shoes. He really just wanted to sleep. Simple as that. 

“Okay!” Dan chimed, and something about his tone made Hosuh a little uncomfortable. That was the tone of mischief that Hosuh had only heard a few times before. Mostly when pranks were involved. 

“What did you do to my room?” 

“I didn’t do anything to your room, Hosuh.”

As much as Hosuh didn’t believe it, he was too tired to care. So he walked to his room, mumbling to himself. Dan was acting weird, too weird for something not to be up. He was watching out for anything out of place, anything at all. His door creaked, just like always, and as he leaned into his room he didn’t see anything wrong. He sighed in relief, walked over to his bed, immediately curling into the pile of blankets and shirts. Taking a deep breath and expecting the unique mix of his friend’s scents sent a spark of warm joy through him, ready to finally let his body relax-

But he didn’t get any of that. Instead, he got a whiff of chemical scents and his stomach turned, hearing Dan’s laughter as he violently jerked away from what should have been the most comforting place in the house. He hit the floor with a whine, pain shooting up his spine as he carefully rose and rushed into the bathroom, his phone clattering to the floor from his pocket. 

Someone had messed with his nest, and he could already feel his body rejecting it. He threw open the door to the bathroom before his stomach emptied itself, thanking whatever deity may be listening that he usually had his hair tied back and that Stephen wasn’t home yet.

Yes, he knew that living with an Alpha was usually considered stupid, but he knew the purple-haired man wouldn’t do anything to him without his explicit consent. He also knew that Stephen was more caring than he let on, recalling the many times where the alpha threatened whoever dared to hurt him. Jay wasn’t much better, but he lived nearby. He was sure that Stephen was going to have a fit when he found out, and he was almost scared to know what happened.

No one touched his nest, he’d have seen it if they did, but the scent had changed. And as he kneeled over the toilet, throwing up what little he’d eaten that day, he tried to think of what might have happened. Smoke? Did something catch on fire? Had he not washed them and something had molded? No, he’d had to rebuild it last weekend after doing a major load of laundry. His friends had been so nice, rescenting everything before letting him be to rebuild it.

So what had happened?

* * *

Stephen didn’t know what to expect when he got home. He knew that Hosuh’d had a long day, he’d seen a text from Dan warning him that he was going to do another Hosuh Prank video and he knew that Hosuh wasn’t going to enjoy this. The beta’s pranks were mean, and they all knew it. He wasn’t going to get home early enough to find out what he was going to do before it happened, with his job and helping with lesson plans afterward taking up all his time for the day. It wasn’t as easy as everyone thought, being a teacher, but now he was more worried about Hosuh’s mental state. What with his last two pranks being so brutal, he needed to make sure the omega was alright. All his instincts were screaming at him to protect Hosuh, to ensure that he was okay and nothing was wrong with him. 

So when he walked in and his nose was bombarded with the sour tang of a distressed Omega, it took all his strength not to immediately begin yelling. He reached up and covered his nose as he approached the living room, seeing Dan sitting there on his computer.

“Hey, Dan? What the hell did you do to Hosuh?” Stephen asked, barely containing the growl in his voice.

“Huh?” Dan glanced up from his laptop, green hair a mess as he took off his headphones, “Oh. Welcome home, Stephen.”

“I’m only gonna ask one more time, Dan; What the fuck did you do to Hosuh that put him in distress?”

If the scent of curdled milk being added to Hosuh’s usually warm scent was anything to go by, whatever had happened was bad enough to compromise the omega’s stress levels to a dangerous degree. But, Stephen knew better than to coddle him or risk the consequences. Better to find out what actually happened.

Dan visibly sniffed the air, a confused expression on his face as he stared at the Alpha. 

“I don’t smell any distress. But I was gonna go pick up the mic from Hosuh’s room so I can edit the audio, if you wanna check on him?”

Stephen growled, a low rumble bubbling in his throat as he stared at the Beta. Of course, a beta’s nose wasn’t as sensitive as an alpha’s or an omega’s, but there was no way he should be missing something as obvious as that. He watched as Dan’s face contorted into discomfort at Stephen’s reaction, quite displeased at the lack of an answer.

“Okay, okay. All I did was spray one of those scent removers on Hosuh’s nest, no big deal. It’s just a prank, no harm no foul.”

Stephen knew Dan was oblivious. He’d known that for quite some, but he didn’t think Dan was oblivious enough to do something so stupid it could actually hurt someone. Especially not someone like Hosuh, who put up with their nonsense for far longer than he should.

“Oh my god, Dan! You fucking- You sprayed it on his nest?! For a prank? How stupid are you?!”

“Hey! It’s just a nest, and it’s just a prank! Nothing that bad! Why are you so defensive over this?”

“Where’s the fucking can?” 

Dan rolled his eyes, reaching over to the coffee table where he picked up an aerosol can from it, handing it to Stephen with a shrug. With his patience wearing thin, Stephen turned the can around and found the warning label, pointing to it and watching his friend’s face go pale. There, in large black lettering, was a warning as clear as crystal.

_ WARNING: Do not spray on an Omega’s nest. The chemicals contained in this spray may cause harm to the Omega and can result in the body’s immediate rejection of the scents, resulting in major sicknesses. Do not use if your omega is pregnant or may become pregnant, as the strength of this illness can result in termination of baby. _

Dan skittered up from the couch and rushed down the hall towards the bathroom, yelling out apologies to the Omega. Stephen was hot on his heels, seeing Hosuh leaning against the wall in exhaustion. By the smell of the room, and the look of his friend, he had just finished being sick to his stomach. 

“Hosuh oh my god I’m so sorry-” Dan apologized, grabbing paper towels and walking over to his friend as Stephen grabbed anti-nausea medicine for their silver-haired omega. Hosuh let out a whine and feebly tried to push away the beta as soon as he got too close, the scents overwhelming him in his weakened state. His body felt like it was weighted down with bricks, barely able to lift up his arm. Dan helped clean his face, mumbling apologies over and over again. 

“Did you… do somethn…?” Hosuh whispered, his throat burning as he struggled to speak. The cool tile was a godsend, letting his body temperature fall as he leaned against the wall. Dan winced, hands twitching as he explained the nature of his attempted prank. He’d never meant any harm by the prank, he’d especially never meant for Hosuh to get sick, for his body to violently reject the chemicals. 

Hosuh gave a shaky smile, trying to comfort Dan as Stephen knelt down in front of them, a small cup with thick pink liquid in it. 

“Here, Hos. It’ll help keep nausea down. Dan, go wash everything in Hosuh’s nest, then call Jay and have him bring over like a blanket for him. I’m gonna watch over Hosuh and when you get back we’re gonna rescent everything.”

“Okay, but… Why are we going to rescent it?” 

“It’ll help him get better faster; did you not pay attention in health class?” 

The tone in his voice left no room for argument, using the voice every student knew. A teacher’s  _ pay attention  _ voice, teetering dangerously close to an Alpha’s rage. Dan knew better than to argue against that, especially with Hosuh in such close proximity. 

So he left, and Stephen helped Hosuh drink the liquid despite the nasty taste. The alpha settled in next to him, setting the cup down as he reached up to help adjust Hosuh’s hair. At some point, his hairtie had come loose, and while his hair hadn’t gotten dirty, he didn’t want to risk it. 

“Do you want a bun or a ponytail?” He asked softly, seeing the ashen sheen of Hosuh’s skin and beginning to worry. 

“Bun.” Was the reply, and he heard the soft purr underneath it. Once the hair had been changed, Stephen slid one arm underneath Hosuh’s back and the other under his knees as he lifted him up despite the noise of protest. They needed to move him out of the bathroom so he could be more comfortable, and Stephen decided that moving him into the living room was the best option. Minimal scents, easy access to everything he needed, he could rest on the couch if he needed to and they could easily get their laptops for entertainment. 

Hosuh looked exhausted, barely able to fight against him as he carried him out. 

“Sorry,” He apologized, hiding his face against the alpha’s arm, “I didn’t know Dan would-”

“Don’t apologize. Idiot didn’t look at the warning, it happened. We’re gonna take care of you, okay? Jay will be here soon enough that we can start fixing this mess.” Stephen carefully set Hosuh down on the couch with a smile, instinctively making sure that Hosuh was alright. He’d always been protective of his friends, especially so his Omega friends, but this was the first time he felt actively ready to kill if someone were to try to harm Hosuh. Someone had invaded the omega’s safe space, and Hosuh was the one suffering for it. 

“Stephen, uhm… Can I-” Hosuh gently tugged at Stephen’s shirt sleeve, the same thing he’d done when he really wanted something for his nest and was too scared to ask. Stephen chuckled, stepping away.

“I’ll get you a blanket or hoodie or something, this needs to be washed. You should take a shower when you’re feeling up to it, okay?” 

“Okay.”

As Stephen headed towards his room, he passed by the laundry room and saw Dan loading the washing machine, still obviously worried. He could still smell a little bit of their scents on the clothes, but it was still mostly the chemicals. It didn’t seem anything could be saved; if it could, it would have been easier to bring that to Hosuh rather than one of their blankets, but it was definitely for the best to let Hosuh be as comfortable as possible. 

“Hey, Stephen, how’s Hosuh?” Dan asked, turning to the Alpha as he set off the washer, “I called Jay, and he said he’d be over in thirty minutes.”

“Hosuh’s gonna be okay, he’s just weak right now and we’re waiting for the medication to take effect. Got a spare blanket or hoodie or shirt for him?” 

“Yeah. What are you bringing him?”

“Hoodie.” 

“I’ll get a blanket then.” 

When they returned to the living room, they found Hosuh curled in on himself on the couch, beginning to relax. A side effect of the medication, Stephen recalled, was sleepiness. Seemed it was beginning to kick in already, forcing the omega’s body to relax. 

He looked up at the two of them as they walked in, beginning to cough as they approached. If Dan knew that this was what would happen, he certainly wouldn’t have even attempted the prank. He wasn’t going to make a video unless it was to educate others on why this was a stupid choice. 

They carefully wrapped Hosuh in the blanket as he slipped on Stephen’s hoodie, letting the warm scents comfort him. Dan volunteered to cook dinner, Stephen sitting with Hosuh to monitor his condition. From what they remembered from health class, he would be getting a horrible fever next, then nausea would come back, hacking and coughing and the occasional inability to breathe and if he could get through that, his body would begin to regain strength. During these few hours directly after, where his body was only beginning to reject it, they could stop that whole debacle by making him as comfortable as possible and making sure it was accepted. It was a comfort thing; an Omega needed to feel safe. And they were going to make sure Hosuh felt safe. Whether it took an hour or all day, they’d make sure he’d be okay.

And if Hosuh and Stephen had fallen asleep on the couch by the time Jay arrived, the alpha curled protectively around his smaller partner, no one felt the need to mention it. Whatever works, right?


	2. From Bad to Worse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I was always planning on writing a second chapter, but here we are and it seems this will be more along the lines of 4 chapters in total! Hopefully, this will live up to everyone's expectations, and this will probably be updated in between updates of my other Stosuh fic. Enjoy! And let me know what you think of this au? I will include more information about the headcanons in the notes at the end of the chapter.

The fever wasn’t breaking. Forty one degrees celsius, one hundred and six farenheit. Jay had taken the liberty of watching over Hosuh during the night, as he tended to be a night owl himself, but he didn’t know what to do as it neared four am. He knew Omegas could handle a much higher temperature due to their heats, but when he looked it up, everything said that anything above forty two was in the dangerous range.

Every instinct he had screamed at him to protect the omega from anything which could hurt him, the smaller man curled up against his side and whimpering in pain. This was day two of the fever, thanking every deity for the weekend and their lack of school tomorrow, but they were getting to the point of desperation. Hosuh just wasn’t getting better, his strength rapidly leaving his body to the point he found it hard to even stand at times, and there was nothing he could do about it.

“It’s cold,” Hosuh whispered, shivering as he curled in on himself, the blankets pulled close to his body, “Too cold…”

“I know, Hosuh,” Jay said, scrolling through his phone for anything that could help. He’d searched up Hosuh’s symptoms and the cause, only to find the same results.  _ Contact doctor immediately if the fever breaches forty two degrees Celsius, and make sure the Omega is as comfortable as possible. _

He knew that applied to female omegas, which made up ninety percent of the omega population, but had no idea what made sense for male omegas. They were more sensitive to scents than the females, which made them more prone to getting sick. Jay wanted to call the doctor and bring in Hosuh, but he also knew that the sterile air could only make things worse. By nature, hospitals had to be void of scents, but it unnerved omegas and often put them on edge. 

Stephen had told them about when his younger brother, Gavin, had the same prank pulled on him and ended up in the emergency room because they couldn't break the fever in less than four days, only to panic once in a sterile room. He didn't want that for Hosuh, and he knew it would crush him if he had to watch Stephen worry over his safety. They were both protective of the omegas in their lives, an urge to protect which betas couldn't quite understand the intensity of, but now he didn't know what to do with it as his friends slowly became a pack. 

Then, a small note on the page made his hopes soar. 

_ In the case of male omegas, it may be previlent to give them an ice bath. As their noses are more sensitive to the chemicals in scent removers, it can linger on their skin and agitate them in ways it may not effect the females.  _

Finally, something he could work with.

"Stay here, Hosuh, I'm going to get Stephen," Jay said, and Hosuh shakily nodded only to press his face into the pillow on the seat. He'd barely been able to sleep, but his room was too far away from a bathroom so he needed to stay on the couch. The blonde sighed and stood, helping Hosuh lay down without hurting himself before going up the stairs towards the other Alpha's room. 

There were a few rules in the house that Jay knew by heart. One, if Hosuh was close to heat, the Alphas just had to deal with his clinging. Two, the office is off limits unless it's to be actually used. And Three; Don't wake up Stephen before his alarm or risk getting stabbed. Jay didn't care. 

He opened the unlocked door, Stephen's overwhelming scent of purple hartwood and cedar mixing together with the lull of sleep. Stephen had sprawled out on his bed, violet hair a mess of tangled curls. Jay walked over to him, reaching out to the other Alpha and taking him by the shoulder. An angry growl escaped the other, and Jay felt the urge to challenge it rise within him only to stamp it down as fast as it came. This wasn’t the time for stupid Alpha posturing. 

“Oi, Stephen, wake up,” He huffed, shaking his friend. The scent changed from pleasant to bitter, anger rising and suddenly he was kicking out, only to be pinned down onto the bed by Jay’s greater strength. He didn’t have the energy to deal with angry or whiny Alphas who weren’t morning people, especially not when there was a job to do. 

Orchid eyes met his mismatched ones, fury boiling behind a dangerous calm.

“What the fuck, Jay?” He snarled, ready to fight back at a moment's notice.   
“I need your help giving Hosuh an ice bath. He’s not gonna like it, and he’s going to cry, so you are going to help me.”

The fire in his eyes died, worry showing through.

“Why does he need an ice bath?”

“His temperature is too close to dangerous. So we’re going to force it down.” 

“Fine. You’re so fucking lucky I don’t have work today.” 

Jay relaxed his grip on the other Alpha, sitting up and straddling him as Stephen processed what was going on. “Yeah, I guess I am. We have to fix Dan’s mess.”

“Don’t we always?”

Jay chuckled, getting off of his friend and stretching out. Hosuh probably hadn’t moved much, but the itching feeling remained. Something was wrong, and while he knew what it was, the urge did not fade. It wouldn’t until Hosuh was feeling better, the tinge of sour milk from his distress permeating everything in the air.

While Jay ran a bath for Hosuh, Stephen made his way downstairs, seeing Hosuh leaning over the trashcan as his stomach purged itself. He looked so small, his entire body shaking and red. Nothing they had done so far had been able to break the fever, and the medication only helped with the nausea so much, and Dan’s scent of the beach made Hosuh sick to his stomach every time he was close after the first day. He’d gone to visit his brother for the weekend, as he didn’t want to upset the Omega further, and the Alphas felt a little envious of him being able to get away even if it was for the greater good.

“Hey Hos,” Stephen said softly, “We’re gonna give you a bath, so you need to cooperate.” 

“I- hrg- fine,” Hosuh choked out as his vomiting stopped, broken English barely understandable. Stephen carefully helped him up, supporting most of the weight and pausing every few steps so Hosuh could readjust and settle himself and not jostle his stomach.

Hosuh was looking forward to a warm bath. He’d felt grimy for the last two days, everything feeling too cold, bitterly chilling him to his core despite his sweating. Everything hurt, aches and pains throughout his body as they made their way to the bathroom. He was infinitely grateful towards the Alphas and even Dan for taking care of him like this. 

As much as he hated this, as much as he knew it was Dan’s fault, he couldn’t find it in himself to blame Daniel for it. His friend had made an innocent prank but there was no way that he’d known this could have happened. He refused to believe that Dan had intended to hurt him. 

By the time they reached the bathroom, his legs had given out from underneath him as his mind was lost in a haze, causing Stephen to need to hold him to get him to the bath. He set him down on the cool tile and Hosuh winced, curling away from it with a whine. 

“Fuck, it’s hot in here. How full is the bath?” Stephen asked, glancing at Jay who was testing the water.

“It’s about right, and perfect temperature. Let’s get him stripped down and into the bath. Don’t touch his scent glands.”

“I fucking know that!” 

Hosuh relaxed in the arms of the Alpha’s, attempting to get his own clothes off to help, though he fumbled with the buttons so Jay needed to do it. Hands were everywhere, and the next thing he knew, he was bare and shivering against the chilled air. He had the strength, barely, to slip into the bath by himself. As soon as the icy water touched his skin he shrieked, jolting away from it before the hands were back, forcing him in and fear bloomed, unable to control as the Alphas forced him into the water.

_ “Nononoitstoocolditstoocoldplease!”  _ He begged, fighting back with the little strength he had as he began to cry, whines and whimpers escaping as he attempted to thrash. It was too cold, he was going to freeze, he was going to die-!

**“Stay still!”** The Alpha’s ordered, authority filling their voice as it gripped at his heart, instincts telling him to submit himself to their wills and orders. In any other circumstance, he would obey, but he couldn’t let himself. Then one of them gripped at the back of his neck and his body stilled despite his fear, but he didn’t stop his begging.

Hosuh was terrified as he lost control of his body. He’d only ever been scruffed once before in his life, when an Alpha in highschool had tried to take advantage of him immediately after presenting. At the time, Stephen had been there to save him before his assailant had gotten very far and he’d taken care of him afterwards. His younger brother, Gavin, had accidentally scruffed himself the week before so he knew how to make the effects wear off faster after some practice. 

But this time, there wasn’t anyone to save him. Why were they doing this to him? Did they want him to die? It was so cold, he couldn’t feel his feet or his hands in the water, his vision was blurred- He was going to die here, he was sure of it.

Even over the sound of his begging, Stephen refused to let go of the back of Hosuh’s neck to keep him still. Jay had left to get the thermometer and put some towels and a clean set of clothes in the dryer for a ten minute cycle so that Hosuh could be wrapped in warmth when he left the bath. He hated doing this, hated the idea of scruffing and all the things which came with it. Omegas were only able to be scruffed so that they wouldn’t hurt themselves in heat on an Alpha’s knot, but people used it for the wrong reasons all the time. 

He wasn’t going to let Hosuh get hurt, even if it meant doing something as deplorable as this. 

Jay came back with the thermometer, pressing it against the omega’s forehead and turning it on. It beeped and Hosuh whined, crying softly as he stared off into nothingness. 

“It’s gone down a little, but not enough. I know it’s not the best thing but it’s all we can do for now.” He sighed, “We might as well actually help him take a bath. The scruff will take five minutes for him to regain full control of his body, but he probably can’t even think of stuff like that right now. He hasn’t been able to think properly since this whole thing happened.”   
“I know. When this happened to Gavin, everything was so overwhelming for him that he nearly lost his mind. I’ll get the soaps, you take care of washing him off.”

Stephen remembered when Gavin got this fever, he’d barely been able to think or sleep in between the bouts of nausea, and he didn’t remember the entire week. If they broke the fever now, before things got dangerous, they could avoid him needing to go to the emergency room for up to two weeks. He desperately wanted to keep that from happening. 

Once he let go of the back of Hosuh’s neck, he knew they only had about five minutes to get everything accomplished before either needing to scruff him again or hold him down. They were willing to let Hosuh hate them, in the case that he remembered this.

They were able to get him washed within ten minutes, with Jay having scruffed him a second time as he began to try and pull himself out of the bath, and their inner Alphas went wild with Hosuh’s desperate begging for it to stop, saying he was going to die and that it was just too cold. Of course it would feel cold for him, his fever being too much for his skin to handle, and they knew that despite Hosuh’s panic.

His sweet hot chocolate and cinnamon scent was slowly coming back, mingling with the soured distress and Jay’s citrus. Even though he was panicking, the clean feeling was making him happy enough that it was becoming minimal. They checked his temperature again, seeing that it had gone down again to thirty eight. Jay went to get the things from the dryer while Stephen pulled Hosuh out of the bathtub. 

_ “C-Cold- Too cold-”  _ Hosuh whispered, his voice strained as he stared up at Stephen.  _ “Why-Cold--” _

“This fuckin fever wasn’t breaking; you need to cool off.”

_ “It’s cold, alpha…”  _

Stephen hated when Hosuh called him by his nature. Ever since they met, Hosuh had made a point to tell them that they didn’t need to be defined by their natures; Daniel was more than just a Beta, and Stephen was more than just an Alpha. Hosuh had a fire in his soul despite his nature, he could fight and would if he needed to, even if he was sweet sugar. The only times when Hosuh ever called him by his nature was when he was in heat and when he was terrified. His instincts told him to submit to the authority, to appease them at all costs, and he knew from experience that Hosuh could bear his neck before long.

Luckily, Jay returned then and tossed him a towel. They quickly dried him off and dressed him, only for him to fall asleep in their arms. Stephen returned to bed while Jay brought Hosuh back down to the couch with the thermometer, needing to make sure he rested.

It was nearing six AM now, and the sun would be rising soon. As tired as he was, he could sleep when Stephen was watching Hosuh. At least now Hosuh was sleeping, so he could relax and take some time to study. Things were calm for a few hours, with Jay going up to the guest room as Stephen took up his turn watching over Hosuh. Dan called them and apologized to Hosuh while he was awake, with the omega having enough lucidity to properly talk with him and even eat some breakfast. Things were looking well for the group, until that night as Stephen got ready to go to bed and Jay took over watching Hosuh.

He felt Hosuh shudder next to him and fear rose within him, reaching for the thermometer to check his temperature. He pressed it against his forehead, and when he pressed the the registration button, it flashed a number which made his blood run cold. 

_ Forty six degrees. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the only headcanon/worldbuilding thing I didn't get to explain as much as I thought might be necessary was the scruffing. Think of it like a cat, where if you apply pressure in the right way to the scruff of their neck, they just shut down. This is something that Omega's in this world have, but it's mostly so their Alphas can keep them from hurting themselves during heat.   
> Also, Hosuh feels everything as cold because his body temperature is rising, and doesn't quite understand why Stephen and Jay are doing what they're doing.


	3. Weaknesses in us all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is supposed to be posted tomorrow for schedule purposes but I will not be able to do so on time so y'all are getting it early! Also, have some Gavin!

“Stephen, stop whatever the hell you’re doing! We’re bringing Hosuh to the hospital  _ now!”  _

“What?” Stephen’s voice was piercing, panic evident as he rushed down to check on the two, “What the hell happened?!”

“His fever spiked, so get dressed and get the car keys!” 

Stephen let out a few curses but didn’t protest, Jay calling the hospital to ask for direction. Did he send an ambulance or did he just drive him there? The ambulance would arrive in approximately ten minutes, and the hospital was thirty minutes by car. Was this urgent enough to call the ambulance though? He didn’t know and it was beginning to wear him down; he had no experience with omegas outside of Hosuh, especially when they were sick. 

They picked up almost immediately, a feminine voice answering his call.

_ “Hello, what is your emergency?” _

“Hi, I have an Omega here who, long story short, had his nest sprayed down with scent removing chemicals and now his fever is at forty six, and I have no freaking clue what to do.”

_ “How long has his fever been going on?” _

“Three days.”

_ “I’ll dispatch an ambulance to your location immediately. What is the current state of your omega?” _

“He’s asleep, but he’s sweating like crazy even though he said he was really cold. My friend and I were watching over him and hoping his fever would break but it hasn’t yet, he’s been shivering and nauseous for the last two days.”   
_ “Alright. Try not to jostle him too much, your mate may be in shock. If the chemicals have had the time to settle into his system it can cause this state of heightened temperature, so he’ll need to go to the ER. It’ll be around ten minutes.” _

“He’s not my mate, he’s my friend. Is there anything I can do to help him until they arrive?”

“If you can, attempt to reduce his fever by as much as you can and wake him up if possible.”

_ “Alright, thanks.” _

_ “You’re very welcome. Would you like me to stay on the line until your dispatch arrives?” _

“It’s fine. Thank you so much,”   
_ “Have a nice day, and good luck to your Omega, sir.” _

The woman hung up and Jay let out a sigh of relief, his nerves beginning to calm. Ten minutes. He only needed to wake up Hosuh and fill in Stephen before the paramedics arrived; he could do that. He could do this. 

Stephen rushed down the stairs, fully dressed and purple mohawk a mess, "Ready to go! Get Hosuh in the car!"

"Stephen, the hospital dispatched an ambulance to pick him up. We can't move him," 

_ I'm so sorry, Stephen, but Gavin's going to need to go to the hospital. Please let him go, we don't want to make things worse. _

Stephen's heart dropped, knowing exactly what it meant that Hosuh needed to go. They had to wake him up and his panic would rise, it was likely he'd start screaming, before the paramedics would put him under. He'd never found it easy, watching someone he loved in pain, but it was confusing to see how different the pains were. When it happened to Gavin, he'd been scared out of his mind, but he'd trusted that the doctors knew what they were doing and he knew he could sit in the room with his little brother at the time, but now things were different. Hosuh wasn’t mated, and he was an adult, by law only his family and mate could be in that waiting room until after he was fully stable.

Jay seemed to share his sentiment, his citrus scent shifting into a fresh woodshaving. He was odd, as it usually the opposite way for most Alphas. Most Alphas, like himself, had a naturally woody smell which changed to citrus and acrid notes when agitated, but Jay’s scent did the exact opposite. But, Stephen rationalized, it might have something to do with why one of his eyes was as blood red as all Alpha’s went when they entered a frenzy, lost to their instincts.   
“How’re we going to wake him up if we can’t shake him?”   
“Make noise, like to a hundred decibels. He’s sensitive to noise so it’ll wake him up; besides, you’re great at making noise, aren’t you?”

“Is that a fucking sex joke at this time, Jay?! Go suck a dick!”

“Once Hosuh is better, I’ll suck his.”

Stephen’s breathing only hastened, rage boiling in his system as if he were drowning in it. He began to growl protectively, watching Jay only smirk. Rational thought was lost to him, red filling his vision and blinding him to the intentions of the other Alpha. The urge to fight, to scream and claim the omega for his own was replacing what used to be there. He surged forward, a loud yell filling the room as Jay easily dodged the rush. He’d always been agile and way too calm under pressure, even as Stephen attempted to knock him over with a swift kick to his legs. 

All Jay needed to do was take Stephen’s momentum and use it to his advantage, taking his arm and whirling it behind his back before they fell onto the empty sofa. 

He knew the protective madness Stephen was lost to, allowing him to curse him out and snarl all he wanted. If his plan was working, then things would start to calm down shortly after.

Three.

Stephen thrashed in his grip, kicking up at the other Alpha with a yell. When had Jay gotten so strong? What the hell was going on? He was going to fucking kill him when he was free, and he was going to make sure he got free.

Two.

Jay leaned forward, placing the full front of his weight on the screaming alpha under him. He didn’t have the time to bother with formalities or the usual way of doing things; a rage frenzy was dangerous and everyone knew it. This would end badly if he’d miscalculated.

One.

“Alphas?” Hosuh’s tired voice came, soft as ever, with the calming tinge of a rainy day’s scent wrapped around him. He was so exhausted, so worn out from the infections invading his body, that he couldn’t find the strength to sit up. The two alphas paused in their roughhousing, red fading from Stephen’s eyes until their usual orchid returned, their attention all on the omega and his next words.

“Can’t… Feel anything…” 

Jay climbed off Stephen, his gambit having paid off as he expected it would. There was only around two minutes until the paramedics would arrive, but in that time he could at least comfort Hosuh a little. They both walked over to their friend, Stephen kneeling down in front of him to feel his forehead. His pale skin was bright red and clammy, his still damp hair clinging to his face as it curled. His hair was always more curly when wet, just one of the things which made Stephen feel overly protective of him.

“It’s gonna be okay, Hosuh,” Jay said, heading towards the door to be able to greet the paramedics, “You’re gonna be okay.”   
Hosuh let out a pained chirrup, sublingual noises easier on him than actually speaking. Stephen froze, wanting to scream at the thought. He remembered that as long as he kept Gavin talking, kept his attention on words, he wasn’t in the danger zone. There’d been many nights where he’d stayed by his brother’s bedside, talking with him until sleep inevitably overcame them both, and now it was time to do so again. To do what he did best.

Talk, and to talk a lot.

“Okay, Hosuh,” Blue eyes foggily locked onto his own, a blank expression matching it, “Do you wanna draw?”

“Draw..?”

“Yeah, draw. We can draw together. Or I can draw for you. What do you want me to draw?”

“Dunno. S’cold.”

“Something cold, huh? How about- Oh! A penguin. I’ll draw a penguin.” Stephen reached for the pen and paper on the coffee table, hands shaking as he did. He wasn’t usually this unsteady, but he wasn’t sure what to do other than keep talking. “Hosuh, what color should the penguin be?”

Hosuh whined, eyes unfocused as Stephen gently took his hand in his own and squeezed.

“You gotta talk to me. What color should the penguin be?”

“Alpha…”

The sound of sirens blared outside, red and blue flashing lights streaming in through the windows. Help had arrived, but Stephen didn’t want to let go of Hosuh’s hand to let them take him away to where he needed to go. Hosuh needed to go to the hospital, they’d be able to treat him properly there, but the mere thought made him want to curl up into oblivion and never come out. 

His swore his heart broke when he watched them load him onto the stretcher, covering his ears to block out his friend’s wordless screaming. Stephen hated many things, but there was something he hated more than anything else; being helpless in a situation. There was nothing they could do, nowhere they could go, they couldn’t even ride in the ambulance with him to the hospital-! 

A hand on his shoulder steadied him, warm campfire’s aroma wrapping around him. Jay was obviously upset, just as perturbed by the situation as Stephen, but he couldn’t show it. Someone had to be in control here, so he was going to have to be if he wanted things to go smoothly. 

“We’ll drive to the hospital after the ambulance. Call Dan and let him know what happened, we’re going to make sure everything is okay.”

* * *

Waiting at the hospital was the worst thing Stephen could imagine in this situation. He hadn’t gotten any sleep, too worried about his friend, but now Daniel was on his way back and he didn’t have anything else to do. He didn’t have anything to take his mind off the sterile air, the panic of the others in the waiting room as they waited for their loved ones’ results. There were only a few other people at this time of day, four Omega women and three betas, two males and one girl. Their scents were so intense that it overpowered the chemicals used to keep things blank. 

One of the omegas wouldn’t stop crying, and Stephen couldn’t take it anymore. 

“I’m going outside, Jay. If you need me then you can call my cell.” He grumbled, standing up so fast that he almost lost his balance. Jay didn’t move to stabilize him, knowing the other Alpha’s pride would only cause a fight in front of everyone and get them kicked out. It was for the best if he left the building and they both knew it.

At one am in Canada in late spring, Stephen didn’t expect it to be particularly warm, only to find it was moderately warm. Eighteen degrees, warmer than it usually was for this time of year. Tomorrow was bound to be warmer, likely around twenty or so, but the chilled breeze helped to sober his mind as he sat down on a bench outside the building. There were so many cars driving by, a myriad of lights zooming by without care for the hospital or the residents inside. 

Right now, he’d give anything to be one of those people again. Living his life in a lackadaisical manner, only focusing on the road ahead and wondering what tomorrow would bring. Not wondering if his best friend was going to die because of a stupid prank and their own ineptitude. 

Dan had been crying when he called, but he wasn’t able to return home fast enough to deal with it. He was hours away, and even if he started driving as soon as they’d called, he wouldn’t be there for quite some time. He said he’d leave first thing in the morning, and until then he wanted to stay updated. As angry as Stephen was, he wasn’t really mad at Daniel anymore. He had been unaware, but he didn’t mean any real harm by it. He’d thought it would mildly inconvenience Hosuh, not genuinely hurt him, and now things were spiraling out of control. He wanted to punch the beta, to kick and scream for daring to not only touch Hosuh’s nest without permission but to actually tamper with it. But he couldn’t. And he wouldn’t.

His phone buzzed in his pocket.

Stephen looked down at the electronic device as he pulled it out, seeing an incoming call. He was mildly surprised to see the caller ID. His little brother; Gavin. 

“Hey Gav, what’s going on? Why are you up so late?” He asked, watching the headlights from the street across from them. Traffic was slowing down. 

_ “I’m alright. I tried calling Hosuh but he didn’t answer. Is something up?” _

“He’s in the hospital. You remember when I sprayed that scent remover on your nest in highschool?”

_ “Uh, yeah? I don’t remember much about it, though, just feeling like crap in the hospital. Did you do that to Hosuh?” _

“Hell no! Dan thought it would be a fun prank while I was working!”   
_ “Damn, bro. I don’t know what to say other than I hope he’s okay. You were devastated when I got sick, it’s all a bit fuzzy after that.” _

“We’re all waiting for the doctors to let us know he’s fully stable. I fucking hate this.”

_ “Of course you do. I bet you’re beating yourself up over it. Did he need an ice bath?” _

“Mhm. I had to scruff him too, and he wouldn’t stop crying. I don’t know what I’m going to do, Gav. I feel like I’m dying not knowing what state he’s in, and I hate it. He’s been calling me Alpha and people think I should enjoy him calling me alpha and I fucking hate this shit. Jay’s not helping, he’s the blankest slate ever and I want to just- Ugh I wanna wring his neck for it!”

_ “Why do you think you’re being so protective of him?” _

“I don’t know!”   


_ "Chill, Stephen. You could just offer to spend his heat with him when he’s feeling better, that will help the jealousy. He probably misses you, but, I dunno. The doctor said it’s like overheating during heat, and lemme tell you, that’s horrible. It’s so hard to think about names and talking and everything burns and it’s also way too cold so he’s probably not thinking straight.” _

“I mean, he’s dated other omegas, he’s obviously not straight.”

Gavin’s laughter was worth the stupid joke, the joy easing his nerves. His brother always had that effect on people, making them happy with his presence simply by being happy himself. Stephen reached up and ran his hands through his own purple hair, trying to think of what else he could do to help lighten the mood, until suddenly, a thought came to him with a gasp.

“Gavin! I need you to answer a question for me and answer it honestly.”

_ “Uh, sure? What is it?” _

“What helped you feel better when you got stable? Like, when you’re sick, what do you do to make you feel better?”

Gavin sputtered, and Stephen knew he was likely embarrassed. He remembered when they were younger and everything Gavin had needed to be comfortable once he got home. 

_ “Y-You know what happened!” _

“Yeah, but I want you to say it.”

The answer made his heart swell, and they were able to move on with their conversation. They talked for hours, literal hours, until Jay’s text interrupted. Hosuh was stable enough to take a visitor, so Jay was in there with him. The thought should have made him angry, upset his inner alpha until he wanted to strangle him, but it didn’t. He was calmer than he had been since the initial incident. 

Because he knew what would be coming afterwards, and Jay didn’t.

_ "Someone's happy," _ Came from the other line,  _ “You’re nearly purring.” _

“You know damn well I can’t purr. Anyway, why the hell are you up so late? It's like two AM and I’m pretty sure you’ve got school tomorrow.”

_ “Nope! My classes were all cancelled for the week, so I decided to take a trip to visit you.” _

“What the hell?! Why didn’t you tell me? Were you just gonna spring this on us?” 

_ “Hosuh knew and I was calling him to let him know that I was like. An hour away from the house. But then this happened and now I’m on my way to the hospital to see you.” _

“Are you on your phone while driving? Gavi-”

_ “No, it’s speaker. I’m not an idiot and I’ve already dropped my stuff off at the house; you still haven’t changed the locks by the way.” _

“I forgot that you had a spare key.”

_ “Riiight. Spare key- By the way, did you guys make sure Hosuh has been taking his suppressants during this?” _

“Nononono, baby bro, you’re not getting out of this that easy. Do you have a spare key or did you  break into my house?! ”

Gavin only laughed on the other line, and Stephen legitimately worried that his brother would get into an accident as a result. But the omega was a good driver, he was good at a lot of things, just like him. Must be genetic. 

_ “Nah, you guys just didn’t lock the front door. I locked it on my way out, but I did take a spare key with me in case. Now answer the question.” _

“That’s marginally better. We’ve been having him take them but he can never keep them down so I have no freaking clue if they were working. So it’s pretty up in the air at that end.”

_ “Right. Okay, I’m gonna be there in like two minutes, so I’m going to hang up and meet you in the parking lot.” _

“See in a few, Gavin.”

Stephen sighed as he slid his phone back into his pocket, heading off towards the parking lot where he’d be able to meet his brother. He hadn’t seen Gavin since he moved away aside from skype calls, and he was excited to be able to see him again. They often talked together, even if there wasn’t much to talk about, but he hadn’t been able to talk or even text recently. 

He felt like he was sixteen again, unable to do anything or control anything about his hormones as a newly presented Alpha. There were many things he didn’t know about omegas, especially male omegas, but he knew one thing; he needed to protect both of the ones he cared about. He’d met plenty of Omegas, and he’d seen many different types of people in his life, but he’d never flung himself into a rage over their safety. Only Gavin and Hosuh’s. The safety of those two, those two omegas, meant everything to him. They were the only ones who’d ever made his inner alpha scream and howl, made his eyes flare crimson in anger at the thought of someone touching them.

Now, Stephen always wanted them to be safe, warm, and happy. But he wanted Hosuh to be with him, to be able to place his mark on that pale neck and claim him. He wanted Hosuh to leave that mark on him as well, so everyone knew he belonged to the best omega in the world and would gladly fight for him.

He wanted Gavin to be safe, as well. He wanted to wrap his little brother in a bubble and never let him out, until the day when someone he deemed worthy came. But that was useless and he knew it. The blue haired omega would never want something so crazy or outlandish, but his instincts were strong ever since the incident and they’d both presented. He could remember that like it was just yesterday. Well, no he really couldn’t, not his own day of presentation or the the days of his immediate rut, but he could remember when Gavin-

“Hey! Bro!” Gavin called after he exited his car, enthusiastically waving over to the alpha. Gavin certainly didn’t look like any other Omega whom Stephen had met, partly due to his sex. Male omegas gained muscle easier than female ones, but they needed to do so over the course of a longer period of time than even female betas, simply due to the flood of hormones. But Gavin had put in the work, gone to the gym almost every day and even did track after school. The only sport his nature was allowed to play on teams of, even if he hated it. 

And he was tall on top of that. Only an inch shorter than his Alpha brother, but there was still some typical Omega in that boy. His cheeks were still a little chubby, and there was still a bit of pudge despite all the exercise. But if someone didn’t know that, didn’t see it, they would automatically assume he was an Alpha. Until they caught a whiff of his scent, a fresh baked blueberry pie which welcomed all those around him into an immediate lull of comfort.

“Hey, Gav!” Stephen smiled, wrapping his arms around his brother and lightly squeezed, “It’s been way too long.” 

“It really has! Okay, we’ve got all week to catch up. For now, we should check on Hosuh, right? Has he gotten any taller or is he still small?”

“He’s just below average height,” Stephen chuckled, pulling away from the hug and ruffling his brother’s half shaved hair with a closed fist, despite the other’s protest, “We’re just giants!”

“He’s small to us. I really miss his scent, that hoodie he gave me when you guys moved away? It’s all gone. I can always snag a shirt or something you left behind for my nest but I have nothing when it comes to Hosuh.”

The breeze slowly built into a howl, blowing their hair all around them. As soon as he saw Gavin shiver, his instincts spiked protectively. 

“Let’s go inside, okay? You’re gonna fucking freeze out here and we can go visit Hosuh.”

“I can’t wait, Stephen.”


	4. Hold me close forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we're done! The final chapter!

Hosuh wasn’t in good shape. The doctors had managed to get him stable, but he wasn’t fully… There. He couldn’t focus on anything, could barely talk or make noise. The heart monitor was steady, an even eighty four beats per minute, but it wasn’t uncommon for it to spike when he temporarily snapped out of the medication induced haze he was stuck in, seeing the hospital room and breathing in the chemically sterile air, seeing that he was alone before panicking. 

Jay had been told about how, when he’d first come to, he’d been screaming and they’d needed to strap him to the bed. He’d cried for Jay and Stephen, begged for their presence by name. Medical records showed their scent’s exact makeup, and the only way he’d be calmed was if he could smell them. So they’d set up an air freshener with extracts mixed to emanate different Alpha scents, something they usually did for panicked Omegas who had imprinted on someone or to remind them of their mate.

It was odd for Jay, once he’d been escorted into the room, to smell his own scent in what was supposed to be a scentless area. His silver haired friend was still strapped into the bed, leather bonds keeping him there. He was only barely awake, blearily looking around the room until his pale blue eyes met his own miscolored ones. His scent perked, turning sweeter. “Jay? Jay is that you?” He asked, his voice hoarse from screaming. 

Jay smiled and pulled up a chair next to him, “Mhm. I’m right here, Hosuh. Stephen will be in soon, how’re you feeling?” 

But Hosuh was still looking at the doorway, confused until he looked around again and saw his friend sitting next to him. 

“Hosuh? How are you feeling?” He asked again, reaching over and taking his hand gently. 

“Everything’s fuzzy.” He admitted, a small trill in his voice despite everything which had been going on. The doctor had warned Jay that his friend might not be in top shape mentally for a while, but it didn’t make it any easier to watch. It would take time for his mind to repair from such a traumatic event, for him to catch up and return to the silly omega they all knew and loved. But he did wonder briefly, what exactly was causing him to have a hard time processing things.

“Of course it’s fuzzy. Can you tell me where we are?”

Hosuh didn’t answer.

“Can you tell me where we are? Hosuh?”

“Hospital.”

Jay nodded, leaning forward in his chair to be closer to his friend. “Mhm. We’re in the hospital. Would you prefer to speak in Korean? Is that going to be easier for you?”

Hosuh gave him a blank stare, before it shifted into confusion. He’d been speaking English for so long now, only really speaking in his native tongue when in the presence of only people who spoke his language so no one would be left out in the conversation. So he shook his head shortly, focusing on the words being told to him. Everything hurt and was fuzzy, why was it fuzzy?

“I don’t know if you’ll remember this, Hosuh, but I’m gonna tell you this now. I did a lot of thinking, so much thinking while waiting for the doctor to call us in, and I couldn’t let you die without you knowing. Stephen loves you, you know that, right?”

“It’s not nice to talk about people without them there, idiot.” Stephen’s voice interrupted, and Hosuh lit up again as the other Alpha entered the room, with Gavin right behind him. 

“Didn’t know the baby brother was coming,” Jay shrugged, “I’m Jay, nice to meet you in person finally.”

“Nice to meet you, I’m Gavin! I’d shake your hand but I swear these fake scents are gonna make my brain explode if I don’t take care of that first.” Gavin said with a wave, walking over to the air freshener and shutting it off. There was no point in keeping it on if it was only going to hurt things in the long run.

“Wait, why the hell is that a problem? Maybe you’re just weak, and if it’s helping Hosuh then don’t turn it off!” Exclaimed Stephen, following his brother over to the small device.

Gavin rolled his eyes, unplugging the machine for good measure. “This thing is only good for giving those of us who’re sensitive to scents a headache and brainfog from overload. Every doctor I’ve ever been to has always used it and it’s always a mess.”

As Stephen began protesting, Jay interrupted and called out to the omega. Hosuh still looked a little out of it, though his eyes were firmly locked on the purple Alpha in the room.    
“So, wait a second. You’ve been in Hosuh’s situation before, right? He’s foggy as hell and the doctor has no clue why.”

Gavin pulled up one of the few chairs in the room, a smile on his face and laughter in his voice. 

“It’s that thing! Dude, when I was in the hospital, my brain was hella foggy until my mom unplugged the freshener and the alpha scents stopped! I believe in doctors but they don’t get how sensitive we are to fake scents rather than real ones. Stephen would remember more about the whole epidemic than I do though.”   
“Nah, nah, nah, don’t bring me into this! I’m just here to make sure Hosuh isn’t dead!” 

Hosuh laughed, a small sound in the raucous cacophony of the hospital room, and the other men stopped in their discussion to listen. It’d been so long since they’d heard a genuine laugh from him, not since the incident and now it was sweeter than before. The tension left the alphas’ bodies and Gavin visibly relaxed. 

“He should be calming down and the brainfog should clear up within an hour,” Gavin said gently, standing up from his seat. “I’m gonna get coffee, then head back to the house. I’m beat from all the driving and really need to sleep.”

“Fuck coffee, it’s bullcrap.” Stephen grumbled, “I don’t know how the hell you like that caffeine filled mess!”

“Coffee wouldn’t be bad. I’ll join you.” 

“Two coffees and a hot chocolate, got it. Stephen, text me if you need anything else.”

“Screw you, Gavin!” 

“Love you too, bro!”

Gavin laughed as he left the room, Jay following in tow. Stephen took his seat, next to Hosuh who was still laughing to himself on the bed. He wanted to free his friend, but knew one thing for a fact about those restraints; if they weren’t a threat to themselves, they wouldn’t be there. So he couldn’t. He had to let them be. 

They’d let Hosuh’s hair down, falling around his head like a halo against the white sheets. He couldn’t help but smile as Hosuh took a few deep breaths, laughter fading into soft giggles.

“Feeling better?” He whispered down to his friend, “You’re not as pale.” 

“Feels… Warm.” 

“That’s good. You’re not cold anymore?”

Hosuh shook his head after a few seconds, needing the time to process what was going on. It would be a while before he was as sharp as normal, but it was time that Stephen was happy to spend with him. He still had a mild grade fever, just barely above average. A vast improvement from hours before. 

“Hold my hand?” He asked softly, accent stronger than it had been in a long time. It reminded Stephen of the boy he’d met in high school, when he was just getting the hang of speaking English after moving countries. He placed his hand atop the other’s, threading their fingers together so Hosuh knew he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Even as Hosuh fell asleep again, giving in to his body’s weaknesses and physical exhaustion, Stephen didn’t want to move away. So he didn’t. He didn’t let go, even when Jay brought back his hot chocolate. Even when the sun rose and he fell asleep in the chair, he didn’t let go. He wouldn’t let go.

It took a full day before Hosuh’s brainfog lifted, and another three before he had the strength to go home. Daniel was home already, with Jay having returned to his own home while dropping by often with Ann. Gavin had taken the time to rebuild a nest for Hosuh to be able to relax in, bigger than the previous one so they could snuggle together. 

True to form, Hosuh didn’t remember anything from the last week, only the fact that Daniel had done something to his nest and had sent him spiraling into sickness. No one mentioned that he could have died, no one dared to tell him as he fell asleep cuddled up with the only other Omega in the house. What Stephen wouldn’t give to be allowed in, but he knew better. You don’t touch an Omega’s nest. Period. 

Hosuh was clingier than ever during the next few days, needing constant attention from everyone around him, though he took particular joy in spending time with Stephen more than anyone else.

Hosuh forgave Daniel for the silly prank, though he promised to get him back in a harmless manner, and they’d effectively banned the scentless chemical in their house, for the safety of those they cared about. Dan promised to do research into what the effects of his pranks could be before doing one again, which the others agreed to hold him to in the future.

Life went on, and Stephen still didn’t want to let go of the warmth of Hosuh’s hand in his own anytime he got the chance. If one were to ever see them out in public, or even sitting next to one another, they’d see an Alpha protecting the one they cared for most in the world, holding his hand as they made their way towards tomorrow.

**Author's Note:**

> I have ideas for some other Stosuh/Danplan works so if you think I should write those, let me know! I've never written for a Youtube fandom before, especially not one with so much drama surrounding it. But I've got an nsfw stosuh fic and a bnha crossover style fic that I kinda wanna do so let me know what you guys think I should do.


End file.
